FEC filings hold clues to 2012 races

House members who have spent years waiting in the wings to run for Senate continued to pad their campaign bank accounts. Democratic Reps. Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, both of whom have — or had — Senate ambitions, reported the largest cash reserves in the House. The two veterans posted about $3.1 million available to spend.

Other New Jersey Democrats who might be interested in 86-year-old Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s seat are flush with cash. Rep. Steven Rothman reported $1.6 million on hand — a number that tops more than a half-dozen incumbent senators’ war chests. Rep. Rob Andrews, who waged a primary campaign against Lautenberg in 2008, has more than $431,000.

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In Hawaii, home to Akaka and another octogenarian Democratic senator, Daniel Inouye, several pols are keeping funds on hand for whenever the inevitable changing of the guard occurs. Former GOP Rep. Charles Djou left $246,000 in his account despite losing his seat in a competitive race against Democrat Colleen Hanabusa. Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono, who lost a 2002 race for governor, still has $216,000 in the bank.

A few challengers are also building bank accounts as they plot campaigns.

Democrat Andrea Nuciforo, a former state senator who has already announced he will run for a western Massachusetts congressional district in territory currently occupied by nine-term Democratic Rep. John Olver, has more than $100,000 in his account. Republican Joe Miller, who lost the three-way Alaska Senate race to Lisa Murkowski’s historic write-in campaign, has $825,000 in the bank and is already ramping up criticism of GOP Rep. Don Young, who is entering his 38th year in the House.

The team players

In the weeks after their losses, a number of defeated House Democrats contributed thousands of dollars to their state Democratic parties — a move sure to strengthen their relationships with party leaders and one that will come in handy if they decide to run in the future.

The list of donors includes two House Democrats who have not ruled out 2012 House campaigns: Ron Klein, who in December sent $25,000 to the Florida Democratic Party, and Steve Driehaus of Ohio, who cut a $9,000 check to the Ohio Democratic Party.

Former New Jersey Rep. John Adler, a freshman who lost his seat to Republican Jon Runyan, funneled more than $59,000 to the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.

How relevant are FEC filings when corporations (domestic and foreign) can donate unlimited funds without having to disclose them as long as 51% goes to "issue" ads? Citizens United is blatant judicial activism, invalidating laws congress passed and overturning 75 years of precedent. I guess judicial activism only matters when know nothings disagree with the decision. Quick, what is the only supreme court decision in history where they specified it could not be cited in any other case?